Safety staging



March 23, 1937.

W. Af HEINRICH ET A1. 2,074,586

SAFETY STAGING Filed Jun`e 19, 1935 /M/E/vraes Mu rse A #ame/cw, CHARM-:Anw fax AND Patented Mar. 23,

tusse SAFETY STAGING Walter A. Heinrich and Charles Adin Fox, St. Louis, and Elon J. De Right, Kansas City, Mo., assignors to James A. Kearney Corporation, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri l Application June 19, 1935, Serial No. 27,304

Claims.

.This invention relates generally to staging, and more specifically to safety staging of the type employed for providing supports from which line- -men may work at elevated points on poles and the like, the predominant object of the invention being to provide safety staging which is of such improved construction and arrangement that it may be veryl conveniently attached to a pole or the like, and when so attached produces a support which provides the maximum safety for the men who work therefrom.

Fig. 1 is' a side elevation of the improved staging showing same attached to a fragment of a poleportionsiof the staging structure being'broken away to conserve space.

Fig. 2 is aplan View of the structure illustrated in Fig. 1, the pole with which the improved staging is, associated being shown in section.

Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. l.

Fig. 4 is a section taken on line 4--4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view of the chain tightener of the improved structure.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary detail, partly in elevation and partly insection, showing the manner of connecting the chain improved structure.

to the platform of the In the drawing, wherein is shown for the purpose of ill'ustration, merely, one embodiment of the invention, A designates the improved staging structurev generally, and

B designates a pole or other element to which the staging structure is attached. The staging structure includes a platform I formed of wood or other suitable material which is of sufficient length and widthvto provide a working support for men4 working from the staging structure, and said platform, if desired, may have fixed to* its top surface a mat 2 of Fixed to the platform at material which serves for men working on the the` end thereof which is located adjacent to the pole B is a pair of members 3 and. 4, which the adjacent end edge of include bifurcated porthe platform (see Figs.

2 and 6). The portionsof the members 3 and 4 located inwardly of the bifurcated portions compriseupper and lower inwardly extended flanges 5, outer side walls 6, and end walls l', said flanges,

outer side walls and end walls being in such relationship as to provide cavities into which rectangular corner portions tend, as shown in Figs. 2

ofthe platform I exand 6. The members 3 and` 4 are secured to the platform by means of suitable fastening devices 8 Which extend throughl apertures formed through the anges 4 and pass through the platform, and also said members 3 are fixedly attached to the platform by a rod 9, which is extended through an opening lformed transversely through the platform and which is pro- 5 vided with screw-threaded end portions,` on which nuts 9' are mounted that contact closely with the outer side walls of said members.

Attached to the bifurcated portions of the members 3 and 4 is a saddle element I0, said l0 saddle element being provided with flanges II having apertures formed therein through which bolts I2 are extended, said bolts I2 passing also through apertures formed through the spaced legs of the bifurcated portions of the members 3 and 4 15 and through the spaces between said spaced legs, as shown in Figs. 2 and 6. The intermediate portion of the saddle element Il) which is located between flanges II is shaped as shown in Fig. 2, and said portion is adapted toI contact with the pole B, as illustrated in the view mentioned. Preferably the intermediate portion of the saddle element is provided with a rib I3, which gives to said portion the required strength and rigidity.

Attached to the bifurcated portion 3' of the 25 member 3 is a length of chain I4, said attachment of the chain to said member being accomplished by locating the end link of the chain between the spaced legs of the bifurcated portion 3 and extending the bolt I2 associated with said bifur- 30 cated portion through said link. In like manner,

a chain tightener I5 is attached to the bifurcated portion 4' of the member 4, a link of a short length of chain I6 which is attached to said chain tightener being located between the spaced legs of the bifurcated portion 4', and the associated bolt I2 being extended through said link.

The chain tightener I5 comprises a hollow bar I'I of rectangular cross-section which, at its outer end, is provided with spacedears I8, a link of the 40 short section of chain I6 being located between these spaced ears and a pin I9 being extended through apertures formed through the ears and through said link in a manner to loosely connect the link to the bar I'I. At the end of the bar I'I 45 opposite to the end thereof at which the spaced ears I8 are located an end wall 20 is provided, through which a screw-threaded opening 2I is formed. The chain tightener I5 includes also a tubular element 22 of rectangular cross-section, 50 which is arranged in telescopic relation with the bar I'I, as shown most clearly in Fig. 5. The tubular element 22 is provided with an outer end wall 23, at the outer face of which a head 24 is arranged, said head having fixed thereto a screwthreaded rod 25 that passes through an opening formed in the end wall 23 of the tubular element 22. The rod 25 is extended through the tubular element 22 and passes through the screwthreaded opening 2| in the end wall of the hollow bar I'I into the hollow interior of said bar I1, as shown in Fig. 5, and said head 24 is provided with a loop portion 26 which is adapted to receive a suitable tool so as to facilitate the operation of rotating the head and the rod.

The tubular element 22 of the chain tightener has formed thereon a pair of spaced ears to which a buckle 27 is attached through the instrumentality of a link 28. As shown most clearly in Fig. 1, the buckle includes a loop portion 29 and a prong 30, said loop portion being of such dimensions that the links of the length of chain I4 may pass therethrough, and said loop portion being pivoted to the prong at the point designated by the reference character 3l.

An important feature of the invention is the particular manner of connecting the lengths of chain I4 and I6 to the members 3 and 4. In this connection attention is directed to Fig. 6, wherein the innermost of the pair of spaced legs of the portion 3 of the member 3 is illustrated as being provided with a screw-threaded opening through which the bolt I2 passes, the bolt-receiving opening formed through the outermost of said pair of spaced legs being smooth. The screw-threaded shank portion of the bolt I2 is screwed into and through the screw-threaded opening of the innermost leg of the spaced legs, and said screwthreaded shank portion of the bolt passes through a sleeve 32 which is set in an opening' formed in the associated iiange II of the saddle element I0. This sleeve 32 is of slightly greater length than the depth of the opening formed in the flange I I, and as a result of this arrangement when the nut 33 of the bolt I2 is screwed into contact with the outer end of the sleeve 32, clearance is maintained between the nut and the adjacent face of the flange It. Thus the nut I2 does not interfere in any manner with free pivotal movement of the member 3 relative to the saddle element Iii, as might be the case if the nut were drawn into close frictional contact with the flange II. By providing screw-threaded engagement between the bolt and the innermost leg of the bifurcated portion of the member 3, a more rigid pivotal connection between the member 3 and the saddle element is provided. While Fig. 6 illustrates the arrangement of connecting the length of chain I 4 to the member 3, it is to be understood that the same arrangement is employed for connecting the short length of chain I6 to the member 4.

Secured to the platform at the underneath face thereof is a bracket structure 34 to which a truss member 35 is pivotally attached at the point designated by the reference character 36. The truss member 35 at its lower end is provided with a pole-engaging element 31, which is shaped in plan as illustrated in Fig. 4; that is to say, said pole-engaging element is of elongated width and is provided with a curved face 37 which is provided with sharpened prongs 33 adapted to bite into the pole B. Extended upwardly from the socket portion of the pole-engaging element 37 is an ear 39 to which is pivotally attached a buckle 4Q of the same construction and arrangement as the buckle 2 already referred to herein. The buckle '4B is arranged in engagement with a length of chain 4I which extends upwardly from said buckle and passes through an opening 42 formed through the platform I, The opening 42 is so positioned that the rod 9 already referred to herein passes transversely therethrough, and this rod extends through a link of the length of chain 4I which is positioned within said opening 42 so as to secure said length of chain to said platform.

Attached to the platform I at the opposite side edges thereof are pairs of brackets 43 and 44. The brackets of the pairs of brackets 43 and 44 are shaped as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, and said brackets embrace the opposite edge portions of the platform in contact with the top, side, and bottom faces thereof. The portions of the brackets of each associated pair of brackets which are arranged at the top face of the platform include inwardly extended, elongated tubular portions 43 and 44 through which a rod 45 is extended, said rod being extended transversely of the platform in contact with the top face thereof and being provided with screw-threaded portions at its opposite ends on which wing-nuts 46 are mounted. The wing-nuts 46 are screwed inwardly on the screw-threaded end portions of said rods 45 into Contact with the outer ends of the tubular portions 43 and 44', so as to force the l brackets 43 and 44 into engaging relation with respect to the platform and thereby securely x the brackets to said platform. The enlongated, tubular portion of each bracket is provided with an upstanding lug tl (see Figs. 1 and 3).

Associated with each associated pair of brackets 43 and 44 is a bracing structure, the bracing structure associated with the pair of brackets 43 being designated by the reference character 48, and the bracing structure associated with the pair of brackets 44 being designated by the reference character 49. Each bracing structure comprises a pair of elements 5i! which converge toward each other from the bottom to the top of the structure, said elements 5i) being connected together at their upper ends by a member 5I which is provided with an upstanding extension 52 that includes an eye portion 52 and laterally extended lugs 53. At their lower ends the elements 5I) are provided with members 54 having bifurcated portions 54 which receive between the spaced legs thereof the upstanding lugs 4l, bolts or like elements 55 being extended through the spaced legs of said bifurcated portions and through said upstanding lugs for pivotally connecting the bracing structures 48 and 49 to the pairs of brackets 43 and 44.

Adjacent to the outer end of the platform I a pair of spaced apertures 56 are formed in said platform through which a rope 5'! passes. A portion of this rope extends from one to the other aperture 56 in contact with the lower face of the platform, and other portions of said rope converge upwardly from said apertures to the upper end portion of the bracing structure 48 where said rope is provided with a loop portion that engages the upstanding extension 52. Also, a second rope 5S is employed which is extended from the upper end portion of the bracing structure 48 to the upper end portion of the bracing structure 49, said rope 5S being provided with loop portions at its opposite ends which engage the upstanding extensions of the bracing structures 48 and 49. The rope 53 is extended longitudinally with respect to the platform I at the approximate transverse center thereof, as shown in Fig. 2, and at a height which causes it to be located at a point slightly above the knees of a man of average height. The laterally extended lugs 53 serve to prevent the loop portions of the ropes 51 and 58 from accidentally slipping from the upstanding `extensions 52.

Arranged adjacent to the inner end of the platform is a block` and tackle assembly 59, which 5 is connected, at its upper en d to the eye 52' of the member` 5I,v at the upper end of the bracing structure 4 9, and at its lower end to the uppermost link of the length of chain 4I (see Fig. l). The block and tackle assembly is employed to draw the l bracing structures 4,8 and El to the inclined posijtions in which they are shown in Fig. `1` and to draw the ropes 5l and 58 taut.

When the improved staging is to be attached to a pole or like element it is drawn upwardly to the i l5 elevated point on the pole where it is to be attached with the aid of a block and tackle, and during such upward movement of the staging structure same is in a collapsed condition. That is to say, the platform isin a substantially vertical position, and the truss 35 and the bracing structures 48 and Il!!r hang downwardly in substantial parallelism with said platform, and the `ropes 51 and 58 are loose. When the staging structure reaches the elevation at which it is to be attached to the pole, a lineman climbs the pole and locates the saddle element II]` in its proper position relative to the pole. He then arranges the length of chain I4 about the pole, drawing it as tight as possible, and connects the buckle 2l to said length of chain by passing the end portion of the length of chain through the loop portion 29 of the buckle and extending the prong through one of the links of the length of chain. With the aid of a suitable tool intro- 35 duced into the loop portion 28 of the head 2li of the chain tightener, the rod 25 is rotated in a manner to draw the tubular element 22 inward.

ly relative to the bar IT, and this results in the assembly comprised of the saddle element I0, length of chain I4, and the chain tightener being drawn tight about the pole B; soas to rigidly and firmly connect said assembly to said pole. When the assembly referred to has been secured about the pole as described, the platform I is raised to a horizontal position and the truss 35 is brought to a position where its lower 'end engages the pole as illustrated in Fig. l, the buckle 4Q associated with the truss then being attached to the chain lll. The block and tackle assembly 59 is then operated to draw the bracing elements i8 and 49 and the ropes 5lV and 58 to the positions in which they are shown in Fig. l, and the safety staging is ready for use.

It is important to note that the safety guard assembly made up of the bracing elements 48 and 49 and the ropes 51 and 58 are capable of being raised into place before the linemen climb out on the platform. Thus the linemen in climbing out on the platform have something to G0 grasp and much greater safety is afforded than was the case in the use' of stagings heretofore known, where the linemen were required to climb out on the unguarded platform to arrange the safety guards in place. In working from the platform I of the improved staging, the linemen straddle the rope 58, it being located just above the knees of a man of average height, as already explained. Thus, a lineman may hook a leg about the rope 58 in order to maintain his balance when his work requires that he lean outwardly from the platform. Also, if a lineman must lean outwardly from a sitting position on the platform, he may slacken the rope 53 by operating the block and tackle assembly 59 and lean against or pass one of his arms over the slackened rope, and; `in this manner maintain his balance. Anotherirnportant. advantage realized from the u se of the guard assembly forming apart of this invention is that` the rope 51 is drawn upwardly by the block and tackle asfsembly, and thisl serves to support the portion of the platform I which extends outwardly beyond the point at which the truss 35 is attached to the platform.

It has been stated herein that the use of the sleeves 32 (see Fig. 6,) at the connections between the members 3 and 4 and the lengths of chain i4., and lli` serves to provide free moving pivotal joints between the members 3 and I and the saddle elements l0. However, an important feature of the invention is that the connectionsbetween the lengths of chain I4 and I 8 and the members 3 and 4 are rendered stiff and more or less rigid when the assembly comprising the saddle element I0, the chain I4, and the chain tightener has been drawn tight about the pole and the platform has been raised to its horizontal position. This result is obtained because the pole-embracing assembly is connected directly .toL the platform, and therefore the pull exerted by the pole-embracing assembly on the platform eliminates all looseness at the connections and thereby does away with al1 sway of the platform which might otherwise result from loose connections between the platform and the pole-embracing assembly.

It is to be understood in producing the improved safety staging structure disclosed herein that all parts thereof which necessity requires shall be made of electrical insulating material.

Also, the wood of which the platform I and the convergent elements of the bracing structures are formed may be treated to increase the insulating properties thereof.

We claim:

l. A staging structure comprising a supportembracing assembly, a platform movably associated with said support-embracing assembly, and a truss adapted for arrangement between said platform and a support with which the staging structure is associated for maintaining said platform in a horizontal position, said supportembracing assembly including a saddle element adapted for Contact with a support and pivotally connected to the platform, a length of chain connected to said platform at one side thereof and adapted for arrangement about a support, a chain tightener connected to said platform at the opposite side thereof, and means for releasably connecting said length of chain to said chain tightener.

2. A staging structure comprising a supportembracing assembly, a platform associated with said support-embracing assembly, members fixed to said platform at opposite sides and at an end thereof, and a truss adapted for arrangement between said platform and a support with which the staging structure is associated for maintaining said platform in a horizontal position, said support-embracing assembly including a saddle element pivotally attached to said members and adapted for contact with a support, a length of chain connected to one of said members and adapted for arrangement about a support, a chain tightener connected to the other of said members, and means for releasably connecting said length of chain to said chain tightener.

3. A staging structure comprising a supportembracing assembly, a platform associated with said support-embracing assembly, members fixed to said platform at opposite sides and at an end thereof, and a truss adapted for arrangement between said platform and a support with which the staging structure is associated for maintaining said platform in a horizontal position, said support-embracing assembly including a saddle element adapted for contact with a support, a length of chain adapted for arrangement about a support, a bolt for connecting said saddle element and said length of chain to one of said members, a chain tightener, a bolt for connecting said saddle element and said chain tightener to the other of said members, and means for releasably connecting said length of chain to said chain tightener.

4. A staging structure comprising a supportembracing assembly, a platform associated with said support-embracing assembly, members fixed to said platform at opposite sides and at an end thereof, and a. truss adapted for arrangement between said platform and a support with which the staging structure is associated for maintaining said platform in a horizontal position, said support-embracing assembly including a saddle element adapted for contact with a support, a length of chain adapted for arrangement about a support, a bolt for 'connecting said length of chain to one of said members and for connecting said saddle. element pivotally to the same member, a chain tightener, a bolt for connecting said chain tightener to the other of said members and for pivotally connecting said saddle element to the latter of said members, and means for releasably connecting said chain tightener to said length of chain.

5. A staging structure comprising means for attaching the structure to a support, a platform movably associated with said attaching means, and a safety guard assembly mounted on said platform, said guard assembly including elements removably attached to said platform, bracing members connected to said elements, and flexible guard means associated with said bracing members.

6. A staging structure comprising means for attaching the structure to a support, a platform movably associated with said attaching means, and a safety guard assembly mounted on said platform, said guard assembly including elements removably attached to said platform, bracing members pivotally connected to said elements, and flexible guard means associated with said bracing members.

7. A staging structure comprising means for attaching the structure to a support, a platform movably associated with said attaching means, and a safety guard assembly mounted on said platform, said guard assembly including elements removably attached to said platform, bracing members connected to said elements, flexible guard means associated with said bracing members, and means for drawing said flexible means taut and maintaining said bracing members in their bracing positions.

8. A staging structure comprising means for attaching the structure to a support, a platform movably associated with said attaching means, and a safety guard assembly mounted on said platform, said guard assembly including elements arranged to embrace opposite side edge portions of said platform, means for maintaining said elements in place, bracing members pivotally conne'cted to said elements, flexible guard means associated with said bracing means, and means for drawing said flexible means taut and maintaining said bracing members in their bracing positions.

9. A staging structure comprising means for attaching the structure to a support, a platform movably associated with said attaching means, and a safety guard assembly mounted on said platform, said guard assembly including elements arranged to embrace opposite side edge portions of said platform, means extended transversely of said platform for maintaining said elements in place, bracing members pivotally connected to said elements, flexible guard'means associated with said bracing means, and means for drawing said flexible means taut and maintaining saidv bracing members in their bracing positions.

l0. A staging structure lcomprising means for attaching the structure to a support, a platform movably connected at one of its ends to said attaching means, and a safety guard assembly mounted on said platform, said safety guard assembly including elements removably attached to said platform, bracing members connected to said elements, flexible guard means attached to said platform at a point adjacent to its outer end and connected to said bracing members, and means for drawing said flexible means taut and maintaining said bracing members in their bracing positions.

WALTER A. HEINRICH. CHARLES ADIN FOX. ELON J. DERIGHT.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

raten@ NQ. sommes. March 25, les?.

WALTER A. HEINRICH, ET AL.

It s hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent ,requiring Correction as follows: In the heading to the printed specification, name of assignee, for "James A. Kearney Corporation" read James R. iKearney Corporation, as shown by the records of assignments in this office;

and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may Conform to the record of the case in the Patent,

Office.

Signed and sealed this llth day of May, A. D. 193'?.

Henry Van Arsdale (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

